Purdue to manage faculty activities data with Digital Measures

July 8, 2013

Like many peer and Committee on Institutional Cooperation institutions, Purdue is implementing an online information management tool from Digital Measures to organize, manage, and report on faculty activities and CV data.

Beverly Davenport Sypher, vice provost for faculty affairs, led a committee to review a variety of options and approaches to manage faculty activities data. Digital Measures was chosen for its prominence and product capabilities, and Purdue is using its Activity Insight software for the project.

"With more than 2,000 institutions taking this step to manage faculty activities data, Purdue will benefit from fewer requests of faculty for this type of information; gain new insight into research, teaching, and service efforts; and improve reporting at all levels of the academic enterprise," Davenport Sypher says. "The goal is to reduce the administrative burden for everyone when managing faculty activity data."

Leading the implementation effort is Steve Hare, senior academic data officer in the Office of the Provost. He is responsible for working with the colleges at various levels to support the CV data capture, management, and reporting within the Digital Measures product.

"We have employed students and temporary staff members to enter CV data into the Digital Measures database," Hare says. "Training materials and help sessions are being offered for faculty and their proxies to learn to use Digital Measures to manage their accomplishments and academic efforts."

With the project underway, deans, department heads, and faculty groups are being contacted to provide them with additional information regarding progress, support, training, and data review.